Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0037’

ABSTRACT

A new Pelargonium plant named ‘PEQZ0037’ particularly distinguished by the dark red inflorescences held above the dark green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant with continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, and a well-branched spreading plant habit.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pelargoniuminterspecific.

Varietal denomination: ‘PEQZ0037’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known asPelargonium interspecific, and hereinafter referred to by the varietyname ‘PEQZ0037’.

‘PEQZ0037’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar‘PEQZ0037’ has dark red colored inflorescences with semi-double floretsheld above dark green foliage, very heat and drought tolerant withcontinuous color through the most extreme summer heat, on awell-branched spreading plant habit.

‘PEQZ0037’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breedingprogram made in February 2013 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, TheNetherlands. The female parent was an unpatented, proprietary plant ofP. interspecific parentage, identified as ‘10972-2’ with a larger plantsize and lighter green foliage when compared to ‘PEQZ0037’.

The male parent of ‘PEQZ0037’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant of P.x hortorum parentage, identified as ‘PEZ-AY0450-04’ with more orange redcolored florets when compared to ‘PEQZ0037’. The resultant seed was sownin January 2014.

‘PEQZ0037’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in June 2014 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PEQZ0037’ was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection inJuly 2014 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plantinitiated in August 2014 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands, and continuingthereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for ‘PEQZ0037’ are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PEQZ0037’ has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Rights for this cultivar was applied for in theEuropean Union on Oct. 23, 2017, No. 2017/2676. ‘PEQZ0037’ has not beenmade publicly available prior to the effective filing date of thisapplication, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made lessthan one year prior to the effective filing date of this application bythe inventor or another who obtained ‘PEQZ0037’ directly from theinventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination ofthese characteristics distinguishes this Pelargonium as a new anddistinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliagecharacteristics of ‘PEQZ0037’ with colors being as true as possible withan illustration of this type. The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1,1 flowering plant of the new variety and in FIG. 2, a close-up of aninflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Enkhuizen, TheNetherlands in late October 2017 under natural light. These plants wereapproximately 22-24 weeks old and were grown in a 3 gallon pots, in anoutdoors trial. The plant shown in FIG. 1 was about 14 weeks old growingin a 4 inch pot in a greenhouse. The photographs were taken in April2017.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PEQZ0037’ AND A MOSTSIMILAR VARIETY ‘Clip Velred’ (U.S. ‘PEQZ0037’ Plant Pat. No. 20,532)Length of peduncle: Shorter Longer Peduncle: anthocyanin Weak Verystrong coloration of middle third

-   Plant:    -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and            rounded growth habit, heat and drought tolerant with            continuous color through the most extreme summer heat, edema            tolerance, well-branched plant habit.        -   Plant height.—27-29 cm.        -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—30-36 cm.        -   Plant width.—45-47 cm.-   Roots:    -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22            degrees C.        -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at 22            degrees C.        -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.        -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter.-   Foliage:    -   -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137A with            a slightly lighter mottling.        -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 138B.        -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137A with            slightly lighter mottling.        -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 137C. Veins            146D.        -   Length.—7-8 cm.        -   Width.—8-9 cm.        -   Shape.—Cordate, a bit tridentate.        -   Base shape.—Cordate.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Slightly dentate.        -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.        -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute.        -   Leaf zonation color.—None.        -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 144A at base of leaf.        -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 145B at base of leaf.        -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.        -   Petiole color.—RHS 143C.        -   Petiole length.—6.8-12.9 cm.        -   Diameter of petiole.—0.3 cm.        -   Texture.—Pilose, hirsute, glandular hairs.-   Stem:    -   -   Quantity of branches.—7-9.        -   Color of stem.—Between RHS 145A and RHS 145B.        -   Length of stem.—9-15 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.6-1.1 cm.        -   Length of internodes.—1.0-2.6 cm.        -   Texture.—Sparsely hirsute, pilose, glandular hairs.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 146A.        -   Length of peduncle.—10-17 cm.        -   Peduncle diameter.—0.35-0.8 cm.        -   Texture.—Hirsute, glandular hairs.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Color of pedicel.—RHS N92 with RHS 140C influences.        -   Length of pedicel.—1.5-2.6 cm.        -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.15-0.2 cm.        -   Texture.—Sparsely pilose, glandular hiars.-   Bud (just before opening):    -   -   Color.—Closest to RHS 60B and RHS 61B.        -   Length.—1.3 cm.        -   Width.—0.5-0.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Umbel; semi-spherical or nearly semi-spherical.        -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—7-9 days at 18° C.            temperature.        -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—10-19, with immature            umbels in various stages.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Umbel diameter.—10-11 cm.        -   Umbel depth.—6.5-7.5 cm.-   Corolla:    -   -   Form.—Semi-double.        -   Number of petals.—Up to 14.        -   Diameter of flower.—About 3-4.3 cm.        -   Depth of flower.—1.5-2.0 cm.        -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS 45B but            brighter and deeper, up to RHS 46A veining.        -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 45B but            brighter and deeper, veins RHS 45D.        -   Length of upper petals.—2.2-2.9 cm.        -   Width of upper petals.—1.7-1.9 cm.        -   Color lower petals, upper surface.—Closest between RHS 46A            and B but brighter and deeper.        -   Color lower petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS N57A but            brighter and deeper.        -   Length of lower petals.—0.7-1.2 cm.        -   Width of lower petals.—0.9-1.3 cm.        -   Petal shape.—Obovate to spathulate.        -   Apex shape.—Rounded.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Petal texture.—Papillose on both surfaces.-   Calyx:    -   -   Number of sepals.—7.        -   Color of sepals.—RHS 144A mottled with anthcyanins of about            RHS 178B.        -   Length of sepals.—1-1.2 cm.        -   Width of sepals.—0.5 cm.        -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate to linear.        -   Apex shape.—Acute.        -   Margins.—Mostly fused.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.        -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs, hirsute.-   Reproductive organs:-   Gynoecium:    -   -   Pistil.—1.        -   Length.—1.2 cm.        -   Style color.—RHS 145D.        -   Style length.—0.7 cm.        -   Stigma color.—Closest to RHS 157A.        -   Ovary color.—Between RHS 145B.        -   Ovary length.—0.4-0.5 cm.        -   Ovary diameter.—0.2 cm.-   Androecium:    -   -   Number of stamens.—3-6.        -   Color of filaments.—Whiter than RHS 155D.        -   Length filaments.—0.7 cm.        -   Anther color.—Near RHS 187A.        -   Length of anthers.—0.2 cm.        -   Color of pollen.—Near RHS 21A.        -   Pollen amount.—Normal.        -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.        -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pelargonium plantnamed ‘PEQZ0037’ substantially as illustrated and described herein.